The cover story illuminates the debate about the safety and efficacy of the herb ephedra. Another story highlights the contrasting lessons learned by different educational interventions. A third story outlines a “systems approach” to counterterrorism. Smaller articles discuss the role of domestic abuse in marital breakups, the inadequacy of existing early-warning systems to safeguard the public health, and the dangers to society of “weapons of mass creation,” which are associated with genetic manipulation.

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